After a brutal winter of sleet and relentless rain, spring's arrival makes this the ideal moment to venture outside and assess how your plants have fared. If you're worried some may not have survived, experts have revealed a straightforward method to determine whether they can be nursed back to health.
The bark test, suggested by specialists at gardeningexpress.co.uk, involves carefully scraping away a small portion of bark using clean secateurs or even your fingernail. By exposing the layer beneath, you can see if the plant has endured winter or taken a turn for the worse.
If the exposed layer appears green and slightly moist, your plant is alive and will likely bounce back as temperatures rise. However, if the underlying layer is dry and brown, further intervention may be needed – or the plant may have perished. Check the main stem and surrounding branches, as the test does not necessarily indicate complete death; other parts might still be thriving.
It is vital to understand what's typical for individual plants, as not every variety displays a vivid green layer. For conifers, for instance, it could appear creamy white or faintly brown. The experts recommend starting with a small section towards the end of a branch. If it has died back, move closer toward the main section and keep checking. If the plant shows green towards the base, new growth could still develop.
